Texas GOP Chairman Defends Decision On Gay Republican Groups

Two Republican groups that support equal rights for the LGBT community are rallying support to have the Republican Party of Texas change its official platform on same-sex marriage and other LGBT issues.

This week the Log Cabin Republicans of Texas and the Metroplex Republicans were denied permission to have a booth at the Texas GOP convention in Fort Worth. The two group's stance on LGBT issues put them in contrast to the official Texas GOP 2012 platform:

“We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit.”

Steve Munisteri, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, said this isn’t the first time groups have tried to promote ideas contrary to the party's platform.

“The party, many conventions ago, adopted an informal policy that exhibitor space and sponsorship space would not go to groups that were going to possibly use the space to advocate for a position that is contrary to a major plank in the platform that a majority of delegate agree with," Munisteri said.

Munisteri said the same thing happened a few years ago with a group advocating for gambling and the legalization of marijuana.

Chuck Smith, executive director of Equality Texas, said the issue isn’t that simple. Smith said this stance flies in the face of theTexas GOP’s goal of appealing to a broader base.

“If they are interested in appealing to a broader base then they need to remove the section of their plank that says that being gay tears at the fabric of society," Smith said. "It’s a blatant false statement and it needs to be removed from their platform.”

The party argues that as individuals, gay Republicans may attend the convention and individually advocate for changing the party’s platform. The Texas GOP convention runs from June 5-7.